Softball: Diamond Bar, who was 0-10 in league last year, will play for first on Friday; Diamond Bar owns tiebreaker over Bonita
By Fred J. Robledo
Diamond Bar High School softball coach Roberta Garcia-Uyemura watched from a distance as the Brahmas' beat Los Altos 6-5 on Wednesday to move into a three-way tie for first in the Hacienda League with West Covina and Bonita heading into Friday's final league games. It has been a trying week and year for the Diamond Bar coach. (To continue, click thread)
Above: Diamond Bar great Stephany La Rossa can win a league title in her final league game.
Hacienda: Well, well, well, thanks to Diamond Bar, there is a three-way tie for first heading into Friday's final games. Diamond Bar beat Los Altos 6-5, to create it all. Diamond Bar (14-9, 9-2) will host West Covina (17-7, 9-2) on Friday, the winner getting at least a share of the title likely with Bonita (21-4, 9-2), who will probably beat Diamond Ranch. If Diamond Bar wins, they own the tiebreaker over Bonita if both finish in first.
Baseline: Glendora (13-11, 6-8) can finish in a tie for third if they can beat Upland (15-8, 7-7) today, but Upland wins the tiebreaker for the playoff spot, having already defeated Glendora twice. The Tartans will apply for a wild-card berth in D-2. Etiwanda won league with Los Osos finishing second.
Del Rey: Bishop Amat (22-3, 11-1) wrapped up the league tile and is already finished.
Sierra: Chino Hills (21-5, 12-2) wins the league title with a 15-2 win over Ayala while South Hills lost to Charter Oak 12-7 on Wednesday. South Hills (16-7, 10-4) will finish second and St. Lucy's (12-12, 7-7) could finish third if they beat Claremont today and Chino Hills beat Ayala (10-13-1, 7-7) as expected at home. Wouldn't that be something, Ayala goes from CIF champ to missing the playoffs.
Valle Vista: San Dimas (19-7, 11-0) wrapped up league last week. Northview (16-9-1, 8-3) will finish second with a win at Baldwin Park today and Covina (12-11-1, 7-4) already has third locked up.
Montview: Duarte (17-3, 11-1) Needs to beat Workman and Gladstone to secure league all alone with Azusa (14-7-1, 11-2) behind the great Veronica Ramirez, batting .537 with 32 RBIs. Sierra Vista (14-8, 8-3) locked up third.
Mission Valley: Arroyo (15-6, 13-1) won league long ago with South El Monte (12-10, 10-4) finishing second and Rosemead (11-8, 8-5) third.
It started well for Garcia-Uyemura last year when she adopted her only child, Robby, a newborn.
However, prior to the season health issues forced Garcia-Uyemura to turn to friend Jennifer Cuevas-Flannagan, a former head coach at Los Altos who stepped in and became Garcia-Uyemura's assistant.
"It was a tough thing going from a Mustang to a Brahama, but Rebecca had some personal health issues and this program is her baby. I know what that's like so I offered to help her out."
There was even tougher news for Garcia-Uyemura on Mother's Day Sunday -- her father passed away.
Cuevas-Flannagan coached Wednesday's game against Los Altos, though Garcia-Uyemura was in attendance. Garcia-Uyemura attended her father's funeral today and tomorrow Diamond Bar (14-9, 9-2) will play for a share of first at home against West Covina (17-7, 9-2) at 3:15 p.m.
The winner will likely share first with Bonita (21-4, 9-2) who closes out at struggling Diamond Ranch (5-13, 1-9). However, if Diamond Bar and Bonita both win, Diamond Bar wins the tiebraker and will head to the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 playoffs next week as the league's top entry.
Regardless of what happens with Diamond Bar, the season has been a remarkable turnaround. Diamond Bar was 6-18 last year and 0-10 in the Sierra League. To go from not winning a league game to possibly sharing the league title is a position few thought they would be in.
"It's amazing," said Cuevas-Flannagan. "I don't doubt she (Garicia-Uyemura) will be there, either coaching with us or there.
"This team has really rallied behind her and the position they're in is a phenomenal thing. We have seniors who have never even been in a CIF playoff game, and (tomorrow) they can win a league title. It's truly a remarkable story."
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Hey Bulldog1... Glendora Plays Valencia tomorrow... Division 1 wildcard playoffs... West Covina plays Wilson Division 2 playoffs... just saying...
Bulldog1, we find out tomorrow at noon whether or not the Tartans move on to the playoffs. So before you start bosting, you should wait for all the facts...
On another note, why do you continue to insult our teenage daughters? What have our daughters ever done to you, an "adult". Hate on the school, maintain your school pride, keep a friendly rivalry with the schools but to result to childish insults is just wrong. Especially insulting children, yes they are children. Like "Humility" told you last week, you are only making yourself and your school look bad.
Hey Bulldog1!!! How does that crow taste!!! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Bulldog??? Where are you, Oh where are you?? LMAO
So, since Glendora won yesterday and the bid is in for the wild card, when will the announcement be made if Glendora has made it or not? anyone know?
1st place Chino Hills will go the furthest in CIF. They have deep pitching, great bats and good coaching
2nd place South Hills will stuggle against a good hitting team, but they will also out-hit most teams. Their success depends on their draw. Coach has been smart so far on managing his pitching staff.
3rd place St. Lucy's is the total wild card. They have arguably the best pitcher in the valley and they have a strong infield. They have too many holes in their line-up though, never know, they may come alive in CIF. Coaching will be their downfall as (if) they advance.
St. Lucy's is in and Ayala is out. D3 defending champs are out.
SH 9
CO 6
Any word on St. Lucy's since they are the only game left that matters in the Sierra League?
Diamond Bar will lose to West Covina on Friday! So it will be Bulldogs vs. Bearcats II possibly for yet another CIF ring for Southern California’s High School of the year. Who’d a thought it would boil down to girls’ softball? Glendora, you’re welcome to come root for Diamond Bar, you guys are the “kiss of death” this season. Rest assured we will win with humility and class as always.
It’s been a great year here in the Doghouse, lots of CIF rings, lots of “Kiss the Ring” ceremony’s.
SGV has long waited for a true Champion and we have delivered.
Your humble friend.
Bulldog1
Bulldog fever….
I'm loving it, RHS. Is he whining as much as he did the last few years?
Yeah, Rowland is reeeeeaaaaally benefiting from the releaguing
There is no coin flip, it had something to do with runs scored. They used different tiebreaking procedures..
There must be something in the league rules.
Fred,
If both teams split against each other and have the same record how can there be a tie breaker without a flip?
There is not much difference between the Sierra and Hacienda this year, let's get that straight. Ayala had Jessica Hall last year, big difference. And even so, they barely beat Bonita in a playoff game, and if you took the top four in the Hacienda this year and played against the top four in the Sierra, it would probably be a 2-2 split or something close.
Fred,
did diamond bar win the flip over bonita?
There is no flip, it was explained today by DBar AD Kurt Davies than Diamond Bar owns the tiebreaker over Bonita -- it was kind of a complicated procedure, but Diamond Bar does in fact own it..
What a difference an easy league makes. From 0-10 in the Sierra to possible Hacienda League Champs. That's why they re-league every few years, to make things fair. All that needs to happen now is move SD into a real league and have them earn their championships.